dinghy or keel board?

[cinderooni]

I am wanting to learn to sail, but am unsure as to the type of boat I should start with. I''ve read some pro and cons on both the dighy and the keel board, but would like some input from others. What is your opinion? Could you share some insight?

[Jeff_H]

I think the answer depends on you. If you are fairly agile, don''t mind swimming once and a while and live in an area where an occasional dip is no big deal, dinghies are fun and a super way to learn the basics of sailing quickly. Think of dinghy sailing as an immersion course (no pun intended.)

If you are less agile, or less comfortable in the water, then a small light keel boat makes more sense. They are slightly less responsive so learning will be a little slower but small keel boats (under 26 or so feet) are not a bad place to start. The nice thing about a keel boat is that you are not concentrating on balance and so can concentrate on sail trim and steering. Think of it as buying the tape and book.

Good luck,
Jeff

[cinderooni]

Thank you for the input. And altho I don''t mind getting wet, the water here is cold. So that could be a consideration.